A Gentleman's Grooming Question: The Proper Style for Thick, Frizzy Hair?

[LolitaHaze]

Can you post a photo of your hair? That will help us determine not only style for your hair, but for your headshape as well.

 

[David Conwill]

Edit: See better picture below.

-Dave

 

[David Conwill]

Here's a better one to show you what I'm dealing with.

-Dave

 

[reetpleat]

Sorry ladies, if the "Beauty" section is the wrong one for this. Barkeeps, I hope you'll move me to the right spot if I've done things incorrectly.

I've got thick, frizzy hair. To give you an idea of what I'm dealing with, when my hair got too long in college, people used to tell me I looked just like Ozzy Osbourne's kid, Jack.

I usually have it thinned (although finding a stylist that can/will do this is tough) so it won't poof out, keep it real short (#1 blade) on the sides, and control it with a double dab of Brylcreem. I part on my left, if it makes a difference.

My old stylist left town and I'm having to start over on Friday. I'd like to be able to give him or her a picture of a good, vintage hairstyle for my hair type.

Can you help me out?

Regards,
Dave

What is your ethnic background? Do you think that is typical hair for it? That would give me a better idea. Try to find an old barber and discuss it with them.

 

[reetpleat]

it looks like your hair gets dry. Stop washing it. Just rinse it everyday.

Or, grow it longer and use a light oil if you want a vintage look without the mess of a heavy pomade. If you do not mind a pomade, then you could do anything you want with it, just slick it back.

 

[Paisley]

Maybe a barber who has a large clientele of African descent would be worth a try.

 

[KittyT]

Definitely, grow it out a little and start using pomade.

If you get cowlicks, you can use relaxer to help tame them. I have a friend who's white boyfriend recently started using black hair relaxer to tame his cowlick and it works like a charm.

 

[tylerevansokay]

Get some Hawleywood's grooming spray, blow dry it dry with a round brush (to straighten/tame it), and use Layrite to hold it down.
Saw him use this method this past weekend about 4 times... worked every time.

 

[Paisley]

...blow dry it dry with a round brush (to straighten/tame it)...

A friend of mine whose hair is frizzy does this--and it straightens it out pretty well.

 

[Mr. Mike]

Looks as though you're in the same boat as me, pal. I definitely have similar hair to yours, and the curly nature of my hair definitely doesn't help calming it down.
I use a little more Brylcreem than is usually advisable, and work up a good base of the stuff. It's much better not to wash your hair too much. Personally, I go for about a week and a half before I start feeling self-conscious about not washing it and start over. I usually just time my hair washing to some time when looking good is less a priority. Keeping it fairly short is good, too.
But if humidity is high in your region, some "poof" will be inevitable. Just get a hairstyle that plays off your thickness instead of trying to force it into submission. Of course, I've been trying to find such a hairstyle for almost 20 years and I still don't totally have it down.

 

[David Conwill]

What is your ethnic background?

Let's see - Welsh, Irish, English, and German. So, I guess you could say "Northern European Mongrel."

Do you think that is typical hair for it?

I couldn't really say. One of my (Irish) great-uncles apparently had the same hair, but I don't know what's "typical" hair of any ethnicity.

Try to find an old barber and discuss it with them.

I would love to find an old barber. Unfortunately, all the actual "barbers" I've encountered are between 30 and 50. So they all think that '70s look with the long sides is great stuff. Or they do boot camp style buzz cuts.

I do think I'm going to let it grow longer on the top - unless that interferes with my hat. I have a nice picture of my grandfather and my dad around 1948 where my grandfather is wearing his hair like that. His hair was considerably less curly than mine, but it did have a definite wave to it. I'm thinking that if it gets longer the weight might make it more manageable in combination with the Brylcreem.

I would consider washing less frequently, but I tend to get dandruff if I don't keep up with the Head and Shoulders routine.

-Dave

 

[David Conwill]

Maybe a barber who has a large clientele of African descent would be worth a try.

That's not a bad idea. I may try that out. I've always envied the traditional barber shop atmosphere that the African-American community seems to have retained.

-Dave

 

[Paisley]

I would consider washing less frequently, but I tend to get dandruff if I don't keep up with the Head and Shoulders routine.

-Dave

You may know this already, but your hair shouldn't be squeaky clean after you wash it. A good conditioner might help smooth it out, too.

 

[A.R. McVintage]

I would consider washing less frequently, but I tend to get dandruff if I don't keep up with the Head and Shoulders routine.

-Dave

If it's just little white flakes, and not full on chunky, scaly dandruff, here's some advice I got from a barber.

She told me Head and Shoulders actually helps exacerbate the problem due to certain ingredients being drying to the scalp.

Try washing with a moisturizing shampoo for dry/damaged hair in lukewarm water (hot also aids in drying out the scalp) and using a moisturizing conditioner for dry/damaged hair every other day.

Also, giving your hair a daily combing with a good, stiff, boar-bristle brush helps to remove excess scalp flakes and loosen up the remaining ones to be thoroughly rinsed away with the next washing.

 

[LolitaHaze]

I agree with those that say grow it longer on top. Once you learn how to style the top.. grow it out a bit on the sides as well.

I don't know if you already use hair products for black hair, but I highly suggest that as well. I know my hair has benefited like mad since I started using Soft Sheen Carson's Optimum Oil Theropy -- especially the conditioner. I still have nappy hair along my hairline that I have to fight with, but it isn't nearly as bad as it once was. They have a leave-in oil lotion that helps as well.

Since you are from Michigan, look into anti-humidity products. I need to do this too as any amount of moisture makes my hair go poof! I turn into a big ol' fuzzy ball.

Once your hair is longer on top. A pomade should help with training your hair. It will take daily styling before you see instant results.

Ramon Novarro appears to have thick curly hair that he straightens. You might want to look into more photos of him here: Ramon Novarro

 

[Bustercat]

Definitely, grow it out a little and start using pomade.

If you get cowlicks, you can use relaxer to help tame them. I have a friend who's white boyfriend recently started using black hair relaxer to tame his cowlick and it works like a charm.

I second this.
My hair is fine, but very curly and forms pretty tight ringlets .. it's On the finer end of the mixed race hair spectrum.
I figured I was due for a haircut and said what the heck, I'll give a relaxer a whirl and see what happens.
I normally wear a pomp, but unless it's cut with
mathematical precision, it starts to get cowlicky and is impossible to maintain. it looks perfect when whet but dries into something all it's own. I've never been a fan of the curly limp pomp, Think (Jerry lee Lewis) which was the period solution.
I dropped 8 bucks on canson super volumizing no lye relaxer for fine hair, and just followed the instructions (15 mins). Got some amused looks bringing an orange and pink package with a pretty lady on it to the register, but no sweat.
The result is something I am very happy with. It dries to the way it used to look wet, with a slight wave.
To give you an idea, it's verysimilar to the straightening effects of peroxide
bleach.
I'll post pics.
Give it a whirl, but follow the instructions religiously, as it can burn you if you leave it on too long.
A black hair salon will do it for you (and the ladies there will probably get a big kick out of your interest).

 

[Maguire]

I also suffer from really frizzy, thick hair like you, except i've got dark hair. I've tried EVERYTHING to slick it back or make it look neat and honestly its been tough. At this point i'm more or less settled on using gel. The IC Hair polisher gel is both inexpensive, leaves few flakes, and has an excellent hold. The downside of course, is waiting for it to dry, having to be careful putting on hats, really not being able to wear any sort of caps, and of course, any strong wind hitting your hair will wreck it (not a problem if you've got a hat on). I've tried pomade and i find it more or less useless unless my hair is short-medium length. The results aren't TOO bad, the hair can be neat and orderly, but its never as neat and orderly as it is with gel.

I stick some on the comb, then comb it into the hair and thats how i've gotten the best results. IC also makes a pomade, but i haven't really tried it- royal crown seems to do the best.

 

[davestlouis]

Ya think it's frizzy now, wait until it starts going gray, and you get the really wiry gray hairs standing straight up...ask me how I know this . If I don't watch it, I start looking like Eddie Murphy's Buckwheat character from SNL, and it ain't a good look.

For the record, I'm German/Alsatian/English with lots of curly heads in the family. Mine's soft to the touch, but my dad's has been wiry since he was a kid, and we did go to a black barber for a long time.

 

[zeytoun]

I would advise against using a relaxer. (1) the stuff is nasty. It chemically burns your hair (and often your scalp with it). (2) It's much, much easier to work WITH what we've got, instead of against it.

The grass is always greener, and most people want what they don't have. Case in point: my wife used to spend so much time and energy (and money!) straightening and maintaining her curly hair. When she finally gave up, and found a good stylist who worked with her curly hair, it changed everything. She can do her hair in 5 minutes, and looks great! And, of course, many straight-haired women envy the curls that she used to despise...

Just watch some vintage films, do some google image searches, for people with similar hair characteristics to yours, and if you see one you like print it and take it to a good stylist or barber. Here's one example, to get you started. Vintage, with light, curly hair (though his style may not be to your taste): Danny Kaye.

Also, on the head and shoulders, as has been pointed out, that stuff is junk. Dandruff is big, oily flakes. Small white flakes are dried-out dead skin. A.R.s advice is correct. Another alternative, is to wash your hair with only conditioner, in lukewarm water. For a couple weeks, your hair will be very greasy. Then it will balance out, and you'll have softer, manageable curls. Just be sure not to use heavy pomades, because conditioner won't rinse them out. I use light, water-based stuff (Like Groom & Clean).

 

[Bustercat]

here's the shots.
It's gotten a bit more curly since the pics were taken, "bounced back," if you will because of the cali heat, but is still easier to style like I want, than before. And oddly, my hair seems better off, fewer split ends and strands that come out with combing (just like in my peroxide punk days.) Of course, YMMV. Advantage to being a guy (or just a person with short hair) is if you don't like it, you can always clip it and start fresh.

Here you go. 2 days after the process, with Murrays.

And here's how it looks totally natural, a few months ago. Day of haircut. Gets really cowlicky as it gets longer, as you can guess.